


Don't Dream it's Over

by CherriOnTop



Series: Dean Dreams of Cas [2]
Category: Supernatural
Genre: Brief mentions of rape/non-con, Brothers making up, But he's just looking out for his brother, Caring Dean, Dean is really good to Cas, F/M, Flowers, Fluff, Healing Cas, Hospital, M/M, Mechanic Dean, Michael is a jerk, Part Two, Phone Calls, Protective Michael, Roadtrips, Supportive Jimmy, cute dates, hurt cas, two dorks in love
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-07-01
Updated: 2016-07-01
Packaged: 2018-07-19 08:42:50
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 12,544
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7353925
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CherriOnTop/pseuds/CherriOnTop
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Dean couldn't remember a time where he'd been more happy, on a date nonetheless. He'd also never seen Castiel's eyes so squinty with happiness and smile so wide. He'd never heard so much of the addicting laughter that tumbled out of Castiel's mouth and melted Dean's inside to a puddle of mush. Dean couldn't help it, he was in love.</p><p>Part two, featuring Destiel in action, and two dorks falling in love with one another. Not easily read as a stand alone.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Don't Dream it's Over

**Author's Note:**

> Part two is finally here! Longer than part one, but also a hundred times cuter.

Castiel's family had somehow beaten him to the hospital. It was later that he found out the police had called the family on the way back to the station with Crowley and Alistair, but at the moment, it was such a shock to him. Gabriel and Michael seemed to be much less stressed but still anxious about whether Castiel would be alright. Jimmy was sitting in the chair, his face in his hands. 

When Dean came into the room, the two brothers immediately looked up at him. No one said anything to each other for a long time, Dean shifting uncomfortably under their gaze. "So, uh," Dean started awkwardly, clearing his throat. "Guess I'm not so crazy, huh?" He let out a weak smile, his stomach doing little twists. The two boys stared for another moment before going to sit beside their father. Dean sighed and sat across from them, leaning forward so his elbows were perched on his knees. He knew waiting for news on Castiel would be awkward. 

However, after about ten minutes, Jimmy looked up and over at Dean, who couldn't seem to look away. "You brought my boy home?" He asked, his voice dry from crying so much. Dean nodded slightly, almost squirming under the man's attention. It was weird to meet someone he only knew from dreams. "Thank you." Dean gave a small, genuine smile. 

"You're very welcome, Mr. Novak. I'm just glad I could get him here alive," Dean responded, not wanting to think about what would've happened if he hadn't rescued Castiel in time. He wondered what would happen if Castiel had died. Would Dean have dreamed about his death? Would he watch the two monsters ditch Castiel's body somewhere they couldn't be traced? 

"How did you know where he was?" This time it was Michael talking, arms crossed loosely across his chest. 

"As I told you at your house, I dreamed about it. All of it. I watched Castiel get kidnapped and watched them take him to the house. Only, I missed like half the journey, so that's why it took me so long. But I don't know. I guess I just got lucky and stumbled upon familiar territory. I knew where to go from there." 

Michael kept staring at Dean for a while before he nodded. "I still think that's a load of baloney, but if that's what you're going with…" Dean felt his jaw tighten when Michael still didn't believe him, but he didn't say anything more on the subject. The door had just opened and a doctor came out, calling for the Novaks. Dean headed up with him, but Michael shoved Dean back down into his seat. "No, you're not family. You have to stay here." 

Dean looked ready to argue, but Michael walked away before he had the chance. Dean let out a sigh and watched from afar, longing to know about Castiel's condition. He shifted on his seat, crossing and uncrossing his legs, tapping his foot on the floor. 

It was several minutes before the family came and sat down again. Dean rung his hands together nervously before asking softly. "Well? How is he?" Michael glared at him from across the room. 

"You're not family, you don't deserve to know," he answered coldly. Gabriel gave his older brother a nudge to the side. 

"Mikey, don't be so mean. He saved Cassie's life and brought him back to us. The least we could do is tell him how Cas is," he scolded, turning to Dean once he was done. "Cas is going to live, that much is certain. The doctor said he's got a broken wrist and the other one is fractured. Both of them were cut down to the bone from the chains." Dean winced at that, knowing how painful that was going to be. 

"He's got a lot of major bruising and some internal bleeding, but they managed to get it to stop. He's got a few broken ribs, but they'll be alright. There's cuts, and some needed stitching, but that'll heal soon enough. And.. they, um, said he got raped." Gabriel's voice got quiet, his eyes filling with tears. "I-Is that true? Did they rape my baby brother?" 

Dean swallowed hard, looking at the distressed man. "I'm so sorry.." Dean's voice came out weak, trying not to let the image of Alistair thrusting into Castiel fill his mind. "He was.. He was drugged most of the times and he couldn't really feel it.." Gabriel let out a choked sob, pressing his hands over his face. Michael wrapped his arms around his little brother. 

"Shh, Gabe, it's alright. Cas is alright. We're alright. Everything is going to be okay, I promise," he soothed, gently running his fingers through the shorter man's hair. It seemed to be somewhat effective, and Gabriel leaned into his elder brother. Dean watched, feeling miserable even to just be watching. He thinks about what he would have done if it had been Sam who had gone missing, but the thought of it just made him sick. 

Dean got up, quietly excusing himself and going to the restroom. Only there did he let himself break down and cry. 

~~

Castiel's family wasn't allowed to see him for nearly an hour, and when they were, they left Dean sitting alone in the waiting room. He'd be allowed to see Castiel whenever the family was done, and Dean had a feeling it would still be hours. He was hungry and tired, but he didn’t want to leave and risk missing something important. 

He'd been sitting for not even ten minutes after the family went in when Sam showed up, a bag of food tucked up under his arm. Dean looked up, offering his younger brother a weak smile. "What're you doing here?" He asked softly, sitting up straighter. Sam smiled back and sat down slowly beside Dean. 

"I figured you'd be hungry, and I know how much you hate hospital food, so I picked you up a burger," Sam explained, setting the bag on Dean's lap. Dean's mouth watered at the mention of a burger, and he pulled the bag open, reaching in for the sandwich. 

He tore open the packaging and bit into it, moaning at the taste of food. "This is delicious," he spoke, spewing crumbs as he went. Sam smiled wider at the positive reaction, letting him have a bit of time to chow down on the burger and fries. 

Dean ate every bite of the food, unable to believe that he'd gone a whole day without eating. That had never happened to him before, and he was going to make sure it never happened again. Food was too good for him to not eat every day. 

Sam shifted in his seat almost nervously, watching Dean before speaking softly. "How's Castiel?" Dean swallowed the last of his food and looked up at Sam, a frown on his face. 

"He's pretty beat up. Some broken bones, lots of scratches. But he'll live, and that's what really matters, yeah?" He crumbled the paper that had been around the sandwich and tossed it into the bag. He tried not to let the image of how Castiel had looked when he rescued him, or how incredibly light he'd been when Dean had carried him. He was afraid that his food would come back up if he did. 

Sam nodded, looking down at the white tiled floor. It seemed to be more interesting than their conversation, and Dean wasn't sure if he was relieved by that or not. 

Before either brother could say anything more to each other, Gabriel came into the room, clearing his throat. Both of the men's eyes lifted to meet Gabriel's, who's eyes flickered to Sam's before back to Dean. "You can come see him, if you'd like. He's not awake, but he should wake up any time now," he explained. Dean stood up, tossing the bag into a trash. He turned to his younger brother. 

"You coming?" He asked, almost hoping that Sam would. Hesitantly, Sam nodded and got up, coming over to join the other two. The three walked down the hall and to the room where Castiel was held. Jimmy was seated next to his son, holding to his fractured wrist's hand. Michael stood beside him, caressing Castiel's hair. Gabriel went to join them, but Sam and Dean stayed on the other side. 

Dean sat in the seat closest, and Sam sat next to him, almost awkwardly. Dean gently took Castiel's other hand, the one with the broken wrist. He was very careful not to hurt him, though in the unconscious state, Castiel probably couldn't feel it anyway. 

Castiel was pale as sand in the bed, the purple bruises evident on his white skin. He was too skinny to be considered healthy, and several places on his arms were wrapped with bandages. Dean's heart sank to see that Castiel's skin nearly blended in with the bandages. The heart monitor was beeping steadily, though Dean didn't know if Castiel was breathing or if the machine was breathing for him. He hoped that Castiel was breathing for himself. 

Dean hesitated before reaching over and gently stroking the other man's cheek, mindful of the large bruise. The sight of Castiel so damaged like this made Dean feel sick, but he couldn't look away. It was unbelievable to him still that Castiel was real. The man he'd been crushing on ever since the dreams started was real and alive. He was right there on the bed. Half dead, but real. 

Across the room, Michael was still glaring at Dean, arms crossed over his chest. Dean swallowed hard and looked back down at Castiel, trailing his fingers down Castiel's arm to the cast over his wrist. Dean knew it had to be painful, and it would cause him trouble once he was up and walking again. Once Dean's fingers reached Castiel's, he was careful to shift and hold the unconscious man's hand in both of his, kept safe and warm between his palms. 

~~

Castiel was unconscious for nearly a week. Dean rarely left his side, only when Sam told him to go home and shower as well as change clothes. Sam was there almost every other day, bringing food to Dean when he was there and attending classes when he wasn't. Dean didn't mind, though, he didn't want Sam to flunk a year because of him. 

One of Castiel's family members were always there, too, but they liked to switch out so that they could take turns going home. It was always the most awkward when Michael stayed, because if he wasn't watching his little brother, he was glaring at Dean. Neither of them said a thing when it was just the two of them. 

But Dean was quite fond of Gabriel-he was cheerful and friendly despite what was going on. He and Dean talked a lot, mostly about Castiel, but other things as well. Jimmy was always very quiet and solemn whenever he was there, just sitting and holding Castiel's hand. Dean didn't mind, though. He understood how worried and afraid Jimmy was of losing Castiel. Dean was scared, too, even though the man in the bed was getting better slowly. 

After six days of lying unconscious in the bed, Castiel finally began to show signs of life. He'd let out little sighs through chapped lips, or sometimes his eyelids would flutter like he was trying to open them. After that, Michael, Gabriel, and Jimmy stayed by his side full time. They only left to get food or use the restroom. 

It wasn't until the day after that Castiel actually woke up. Dean had been dozing off in his chair, hand still holding Castiel's when he felt the other man's fingers twitch against his own. Dean shot up from the chair, eyes searching Castiel's face for another sign that he was waking. Gabriel and Michael both looked up when Dean did. "What is it?" Gabriel asked, the hint of hope in his voice. 

"I felt his fingers move," Dean explained, super careful as he gently squeezed Castiel's fingers back. Michael slumped back against the wall he was leaning on. 

"It's probably nothing again. Just his body starting to wake up without actually waking up," he scolded, crossing his arms over his chest. Dean ignored him, throat going dry when he felt Castiel's fingers ever so slightly squeeze his. 

"Oh my god, he did it again," Dean whispered, making sure to be very careful as he squeezed back. Gabriel watched closely, his eyes widening when he saw Castiel's fingers move ever so slightly in Dean's hand. 

"He's right, Michael! Cassie's waking up!" 

By now all of the people in the room were peering at Castiel anxiously, praying silently that he would wake up. And he did several minutes later, his blue eyes slowly cracking open. He seemed a little dazed and confused when five faces were staring down at him. His lips moved as if he were trying to say something, but nothing came out of his mouth. 

"Here, Cassie, drink this," Gabriel murmured, holding a cup of water up to his little brother's lips. Castiel drank as much as Gabriel would give him, which wasn't much so he wouldn't get sick from drinking too much. Castiel's pink tongue darted out to lick his dry and cracked lips, before he tried to speak again. 

"I-Is it over?" His voice was croaky, but no one minded. He'd nearly died, so such a thing didn't bother them when they had their brother back again. 

Jimmy reached out and gently stroked Castiel's swollen cheek. "Yes, my son. It's over. You're safe, and we're not going to let anything like that happen to you again." Castiel leaned into the gentle touch, closing his eyes as a tear slipped down his cheek. Dean could feel his heart break in his chest, and he longed to reach out and wipe it away as he held the man close to comfort him. But he couldn't, so he stayed where he was, still holding Castiel's hand in his own. 

It was a moment before Castiel opened his eyes again, and Dean's heart raced when those pretty blue irises met his own green ones. "D-Dean?" He choked out, and Dean smiled almost weakly at him. Hearing Castiel say his name for the first time made Dean feel like he was floating up in the clouds, and he wanted to hear the other man say it again and again. 

"Yeah, it's Dean," he whispered, very gentle when he patted the top of Castiel's hand, still held in his own. Castiel's eyes flickered to their hands, then back up to Dean. 

"T-Thank you so much," he breathed, eyes genuine and sincere. Dean could feel his heart pounding in his chest, and he was glad that he wasn't the one hooked up to the heart monitor. 

"No need to thank me. I'm just glad that you're okay." 

Castiel looked like he was about to say more, but Michael cut into the conversation. "How are you feeling, Cas? What hurts?" He asked, stepping closer to the bed. Castiel answered, but Dean was already unfocused on the conversation, focusing his attention instead on how small Castiel's hand was in his own. He wanted to trace all the bones in Castiel's hand, but he was afraid that Castiel wouldn't like that, or that it might hurt him. So he didn't touch his fingers, choosing to just watch him. 

After a while Dean excused himself, saying his goodbye to Castiel and wishing him to get better before he left. He headed down to his car, texting Sam that he was going to his house. Sam was already there, probably doing homework like he had been every time Dean came home from the hospital. Dean didn't mind, he understood how important school was to him, but it made it difficult for Dean to try and at least patch up their relationship a little bit when he was always so tired. 

But Dean loved Sam more than anything else, and he would fight to fix their bond, no matter what it took or low long it took. 

~~

The lights were all off when Dean got home, and he figured that Sam was already asleep. He slipped inside without a sound, dropping his keys off on the counter before heading towards Sam's room. As he neared the door, he could hear Sam and someone else talking in a low voice, though he didn't recognize the voice. 

The door was open just a crack and he peeked in to see his brother and some blonde girl in the bed, facing one another as they talked quietly. Dean didn't know who she was, but Sam was smiling and running his fingers through her hair, and Dean realized she must be his girlfriend. Jenny? Jamie? Dean couldn't remember her name, but he'd probably find out in the morning. 

Dean shook his head fondly before heading to his own room. He was in need of a shower, but he was too tired to take one that night, mentally agreeing that he would just have one in the morning and slipped out of his shirt and jeans. 

He crawled into the bed, pulling his blanket up to his shoulders. He wondered for a moment if he'd dream of Castiel lying in the hospital bed with his family around him, but he figured he probably wouldn't. After all, he'd slept several times since rescuing Castiel, and he hadn't dreamed of him any of those times. Why would now be different? 

He let the thought slip from his mind as he turned to lie on his stomach, eyes drifting shut as he fell into a dreamless sleep. 

~~

Sam and Janelle were both up before Dean was, and it was the sound of dishes clinking together that woke Dean up. He grumbled to himself before getting up out of bed to face the day. He picked out some clothes and headed for his shower, rubbing his face. The warm water was nice on his skin and all the aches of sleeping relaxed inside him, drawing a pleased sigh from his lips. 

He imagined what it would be like to have Castiel there with him, wrapped up in Dean's arms as the spray glided over both of their naked bodies. Dean could almost feel Castiel's smooth skin under his finger tips as he imagined running them up and down Castiel's spine. Castiel would shiver, of course, because Dean's hands are warm and gentle against his body and Dean just knew that Castiel would like to be treated gently. 

Dean could imagine gently tilting Castiel's head up enough to press his lips against Castiel's soft pink ones, kissing like they didn't have anywhere to be or anything to care about. Dean would gently nip Castiel's plump bottom lip, sucking it into his mouth and drawing a small sound from the blue eyed man. Dean would be strong enough but still gentle as he pushed Castiel against the wall, and the kiss would get a little more rough as Castiel's hands found Dean's hair, begging breathlessly for Dean to take him right then and there. 

Dean let out a groan at the image he had just created in his mind, one hand reaching down between his legs to jerk himself off. Perhaps it was a little weird to be actually having such thoughts about someone who was actually real, but Dean didn't care. He was falling in love with the blue eyed dork with his silly obsession with bees and flowers. 

After he had relieved himself, he cleaned up and turned the water off. He dried off and dressed before going out to the kitchen where Julia and Sam were both drinking coffee from matching mugs. Sam wasn't wearing a shirt, and Janice was wearing only Sam's shirt, which came down to her thighs. 

"Good morning," Sam greeted as Dean poured himself a cup of coffee. Dean said it back as Jane shifted closer to Sam. Sam threw his arm around her and kissed the top of her head. "Dean, this is Jess. My girlfriend. Jess, this is my brother, Dean." Jess, that was her name. 

Jess offered one of her small hands, a smile on her face. "Hello, Dean. It's nice to finally meet you. Sam's told me so much about you." Dean gave her a warm smile. 

"Hello, Jess. I could say the same to you, though I must say I couldn't remember your name. I've been so worried these last few weeks about a man who's been kidnapped." 

Jess nodded and took her hand back. "I know, Sam told me all about it," she admitted as she took her hand back. "I'm glad to hear that he's safe." She tucked a strand of hair behind her ear, and Dean nodded, going to find his own mug. 

"He's doing fine, just woke up yesterday. I think he'll be alright when he gets out," Dean commented as he poured himself some coffee, adding sugar and cream. "I think I'm going to go back over there, just in case he needs me. It was nice meeting you, Jess." He waved to both of them before heading out, grabbing his keys on the way out. 

~~

Castiel was released from the hospital three days later, though he was still weak. His family took really good care of him when they were taking him out to the car, and Michael was extra careful to make sure Dean couldn't lay a single hand on his baby brother. Dean understood where he was coming from, but it was annoying that he couldn't even help. 

Dean watched the Novak family drive off with Castiel in the back seat. He could see Castiel watching him, and his heartbeat quickened when Castiel raised an arm to wave. A smile crossed Dean's face as he raised his hand and waved back. He didn't put his hand down until the car was out of sight, and the smile remained on his face all the way back to Sam's house. 

~~

Dean didn't hear a word from Castiel for almost four days. He kept around the house, tidying up when Sam was at school and making food like he used to when they were younger and their father wasn't home for dinner. Sam seemed to enjoy having him around, and the tension that the dreams of Castiel had made was slowly falling away. Dean felt more comfortable around Sam again, which he was grateful for. He hated when they weren't getting along. 

Dean called Bobby a couple times, making sure it was still okay that he was here. Bobby, of course, insisted that they didn't need Dean around for a while yet. He was okay to stay out for however long he needed. It still made Dean feel guilty for not being able to help, knowing that he and Bobby were the two main mechanics. 

On the fourth day, Dean received a phone call from an unknown number. He hesitated before picking it up, figuring it was someone who wanted to call in to get their car fixed. "This is Dean Winchester from Singer Auto, how may I help you?" He greeted, pausing from where he'd been making pizzas for when Sam got home from school. 

There was silence on the other side for a moment, then the other person breathed softly and spoke it a quiet voice. The sound of Castiel's voice filled Dean's ear and made him relax immediately. "Dean? Um, this is Castiel Novak." He sounded so timid and unsure of himself, and Dean smiled softly, leaning against the counter. 

"Hello, Castiel. It's great to hear from you. How are you holding up? Are you still in a lot of pain?" 

"Y-Yeah, it still hurts, but… it's getting better, I guess. It's a little hard to hold the phone up, but I wanted to talk to you." 

Dean found himself smiling, feeling as if they'd done this for a long time. He felt so comfortable with Castiel, but he knew that Castiel didn't feel the same way. After all, he hadn't dreamt of Dean going through something as awful as Castiel did. 

"You wanted to talk to me? Whatever for?" He couldn't help but chew on his lip softly, trying to hold back a bigger smile. 

"I, um, I'm not really sure," Castiel admitted, and Dean could almost tell that Castiel was blushing. "I-I want to see you again, Dean. Like… Like maybe out for some coffee? It's the least I can do to repay you for saving my life." 

If Castiel wasn't on the phone with Dean, Dean would probably do a cheer and a dance, but since Castiel was indeed on the other line, he kept his cool and settled for a dorky smile instead. "Yeah, I'd like that a lot." 

Castiel let out a breath of what Dean could only assume was relief, and when he spoke again, he sounded happier than he had been. "Me, too. I, um, can't drive in this condition, though, and I'm not strong enough to walk any far distances," he admitted in embarrassment. Dean could only chuckle at Castiel's words. 

"Don't worry, Cas, I'll pick you up. I'll even carry you out to the car if you need me to," he half joked, knowing he'd do anything to keep Castiel safe and happy. Dean liked to imagine that Castiel was blushing on the other side of the line, but he had no way to know for sure if he was. He did, however, seem to be struggling for something to say, so Dean stepped in. "When should I pick you up?" 

"I-I'm not sure. I'm still a little weak, but I'm sure in a few days I'll be okay again. Not my wrists, but the bruises and scratches will be okay, I hope."

"Alright, how's this? We set a tentative date for, uh, like a week from today, and I'll call you in the morning and see if you're up to go. And if not, we can just push it off day by day," Dean asked, almost hesitant to speak. He was a little worried that Castiel wouldn't want him to make all the plans. 

To Dean's relief, Castiel let out a breath. "Yeah, yeah, that sounds perfect. Thank you, Dean. I want to keep in touch with you until then, but not when Michael is around. He doesn't seem very fond of you, though I haven't the foggiest idea why." 

Dean laughed softly. "I'll tell you why some other time, yeah? My brother just got home and I was supposed to have these pizzas in the oven before you called me. I think I'm going to have to let you go for now." 

"Alright, Dean. I apologize for any inconvenience I have caused you and your brother," Castiel spoke, almost flustered. Dean smiled. 

"Nah, don't apologize. You're fine. You're perfect. But I have to go. I'll call you tomorrow or you can call me, whichever you prefer is fine with me," he smiled, giving Sam a small wave as he popped his head into the room. 

"Thank you, Dean. I will call you tomorrow." 

"Cool, that's awesome. I'll be waiting. Bye, Cas." 

"Goodbye, Dean," Castiel whispered before the call dropped. Dean smiled to himself and pocketed his phone as Sam came over. 

"Cas? As in from the dreams?" He asked as he leaned against the counter beside his brother. Dean blushed ever so slightly as he worked on finishing the pizzas for the both of them. 

"Yeah, him. He wants to go grab a coffee with me sometime," he shared as he finished up the pizzas and stuck them into the hot oven. 

Sam laughed. "Congratulations, Dean. I'm happy for you. That is, if you want this, but I think you do with the way you are blushing right now." Dean gave Sam a nudge in the ribs. 

"I do not blush," he insisted, despite the way that his cheeks were still a faint pink. Sam grinned. 

"Yeah, because you are totally not blushing right now." 

Dean gave his brother a glare before a playful shove. "Shut up." 

Sam laughed again and shoved back before leaving the room to go study. Dean watched after him, smiling as soon as his brother was out of sight. He'd missed these stupid fights they had, but he felt like they were patching it up again. 

~~

True to his word, Castiel called again the next day. Dean was home alone again, and he was most definitely not waiting for the call. He let it ring three times before picking up to avoid making it look like he had totally been waiting. "Hello?" He asked, a smile already on his face. 

"Hello, Dean." 

Dean couldn't deny the fact that just the sound of Castiel's voice made him feel warm inside his chest. "Hey, Cas. How's your wrists doing today?" 

"They're hurting a lot. My fingers are hard to move today, and it's making it very difficult to get things done. I tried taking some pills, but they don't seem to be helping very much."

"I'm so sorry to hear that. I can't imagine how painful that must be. I'm so sorry that all of this has happened to you, you don't deserve any of it." 

"It's alright, Dean. None of it is your fault. And I'm alright now, thanks to you." 

Dean smiled slightly, chewing on his lip. "Yeah, I guess." He still felt extremely guilty that he couldn't have gotten to him earlier.

~~

It was the longest week of his life, but somehow Dean managed to wait it out until Thursday rolled around and it was the tentative day for his and Castiel's date. He called Dean around ten o'clock to check and make sure he was okay to go out today. He couldn't stop the smile that took over his face when Castiel confirmed that he was doing alright. 

Sam didn't have any classes that day, and he had Jess over. Both of them insisted on helping him pick out something to wear. They did, however, get into an argument of whether Dean should wear his green shirt or his black one, to which Dean decided to side with Jess since "she was a girl and knew fashion better than Sam." Sam had gotten huffy after that, but Jess had been able to cheer him up with a kiss. 

Dean left his hair almost all natural, allowing his hair to dry into the position he wanted it after his shower. He looked at himself in the mirror, unable to keep from smiling. Castiel really wanted to see him, on his own terms. He'd asked Dean to go on a date, and Dean couldn't be happier. He'd had a crush on Castiel for months now, and to finally get a chance to be with the man he'd thought was not real was a miracle. 

Sam and Jess were making out on the bed when Dean came out, to which he rolled his eyes at and cleared his throat. Sam looked embarrassed, but he wished Dean good luck. Dean waved goodbye and headed downstairs. 

Before Dean could get out the door, Jess came down and grabbed his arm. "Stop and get him a flower," she said, almost out of breath. 

"Flowers? For a boy? Jess, he owns a flower shop." 

"Not flowers, flower. As in one. He'll love it, I guarantee it. Everyone loves to receive flowers on dates, including boys. But don't get him a rose. Those are too cheesy and impersonal. And besides, being the owner of a flower shop means that no one ever gives him any." 

"Uh, alright. Whatever you say," Dean responded, a bit unsure of her advice. He waved goodbye before going out to his car. He was planning on going straight to Castiel's house, but he imagined the look on Castiel's face when he got a new delivery of flowers to his shop. He always had to stop and smile, burying his nose in the sweet smelling flowers and inhaling deeply. Maybe he would like to get a flower.

He stopped by a plant nursery and looked over their selection of flowers. They were all pretty, but none of them were a beautiful as Castiel's flowers at his own shop. Dean did, however, find one that reminded him of Castiel. It had the prettiest shade of blue-next to Castiel's eyes, of course-tipped petals with green on the inside. The green wasn't as noticeable, as most of the petals were actually green, but Dean thought it was gorgeous. 

He paid for it and took it back to his car, setting it carefully on the seat next to him. He hummed to himself as he drove to the Novak house. Castiel had never told him that he was there, but he had just assumed that his father would want him to stay for a while until he could get better. 

The closer Dean got to Jimmy's house, the more nervous he was to be going on a date with Castiel. This was his one and only chance to have something with Castiel, and he was worried he was going to mess it all up. 

He parked his car in the driveway and looked at the house. He glanced at himself in the mirror and ran a hand through his hair as he took a deep breath. There was no reason to be nervous, he told himself. He had been so comfortable on the phone, and this wasn't much difference. He could do this. He climbed out of his car and up to the door, swallowing before knocking, the flower in his hand. 

The moment that the door opened, however, all of Dean's nerves seemed to melt away. Jimmy stood in the door frame, looking up at Dean neither angry or happy. "Can I help you?" He asked, his eye flickering down to the flower and a smile slowly came onto his face. "Oh, you must be the one who's taking Cas out tonight." 

Dean offered a shy smile. "Yeah, that's me. Is he ready?" 

"Almost. I was helping him finish up, and I think he was just getting shoes on and a jacket. Please, come in." Dean thanked him and stepped inside, deciding that he liked being here this time more than the last time when he'd told the Novak family about his dreams. Michael and Gabriel didn't seem to be here, and Dean wasn't sure if he was glad about that or not. He didn't think he wanted to deal with either of them on the first date. 

Dean only had to wait another moment for Castiel. He came down the stairs wearing a blue shirt, a little more dressed up than Dean was, and black slacks. His hair was as messy as ever, and his cheeks were a light pink. Dean stared at the beauty coming down the stairs, his eyes wide and his lips parted ever so slightly. Castiel came over to him shyly. 

"Hello, Dean," he spoke, his voice just as deep as it always was. Dean found himself growing nervous all over again, afraid that he'd somehow mess up. 

"Cas," he greeted, smiling softly and holding out the flower to him. "I brought you something." 

Dean watched a smile take over Castiel's face as his eyes lit up, taking the flower. "Thank you so much, Dean. It's beautiful." He put his nose in the petals and smelled it, his eyes closing halfway. Dean couldn't stop his smile from growing at how absolutely happy Castiel looked. 

"You're very welcome, Cas. I’m glad you like it. Are you ready to go?" 

"Yes, one moment, please. I would like to put this in a vase real quick." 

"Take your time, there's no rush," Dean assured as Castiel walked off towards the kitchen with his gift. Dean glanced back at Jimmy, surprised to see that the man was already looking at him. Dean expected some kind of scowl, but Jimmy was smiling at him softly. 

"He's never gotten a flower before," Jimmy speaks, sitting down on the arm rest of the couch and folding his arms across his chest. 

Dean scratched the back of his neck, blushing slightly. "My brother's girlfriend actually suggested it, and I’m glad I did. He looked so happy to get something so simple." 

Jimmy never got a chance to answer, for Castiel came out of the kitchen. "I think I forgot my jacket upstairs," he told Dean, heading up. "I'll be only a minute." 

Dean gave him a small wave, watching him slowly tackle the stairs. He detected a small limp from the other man and made a mental note to watch for it later, and make sure it didn't get any worse. He didn't want Castiel in anymore pain. Jimmy cleared his throat, and Dean turned his attention back to the elder. "You be careful with him today, alright? He'll try and brush it off, but he's still in a lot of pain. Just keep an eye on him, alright?" 

"Absolutely, Mr. Novak. I'll take good care of him, I promise," Dean smiled, understanding where Jimmy was coming from. He'd do everything he could to make sure that Castiel was hurting the least amount during the date. He didn't want Castiel in pain, either. 

"Please, call me Jimmy. And thank you, for taking Castiel out and all. He always seems to get picked on by bad people. But you saved my son's life, I don't think you are bad." Dean smiled softly, nodding his head. 

"I'm just glad I could bring him home." And it was true. With all his feelings aside, the main goal of his dreams was to rescue Castiel and bring him back to his family. Now, getting the chance to date Castiel, was just a plus. 

Castiel came back down with a jacket on, going over to hug his father. Jimmy pulled his son close, kissing the top of his head gently. "Be careful, and call if you need anything," Jimmy murmured, squeezing the smaller boy gently before letting him go. "And have fun. You deserve it." 

Castiel blushed and smiled. "Thank you, dad," Castiel whispered, giving him one more hug before going to Dean's side. They both waved to Jimmy before Dean took Castiel out to the car, helping him into the passenger seat, even though Castiel insisted that he could do it on his own. Dean shut the door after him and got into the other side. 

The ride was a comfortable silence as Dean drove them to the closest little restaurant, deciding to take Castiel out onto a proper date rather than some coffee shop. The restaurant wasn't fancy, but it wasn't a dump, either. Dean helped Castiel out of the car, and held his arm all the way up to the door, to which he opened for Castiel, of course. He let Castiel pick a seat, all the way in the corner. He noticed that Castiel was still limping a bit, but it wasn't too bad. Dean didn’t want to embarrass him by carrying him over to the table. 

Dean pulls out the chair for Castiel, to which the blue eyed man blushes and sits down. Dean smiles and takes a seat across from him, hands on the table in front of him. Castiel and Dean make conversation up until the waitress takes their orders. It's only after she's left that Castiel looks at Dean with a serious expression. "Okay, spill. I want to know how you found me. You weren't in with those two monsters, were you?" For a moment, doubt seeps into his eyes, but just as quick as it comes, it's gone. 

"No, of course not," Dean says quickly, shaking his head with a disgusted look. "I know this is going to sound crazy, but I swear it's all true." Dean blushes lightly and scratched the back of his neck. "For several months I'd been having these crazy dreams about this blue eyed boy named Castiel Novak. I watched him grow up from age five. Watched him graduate high school, buy his first house, open up a flower shop. I saw it all while I was asleep, but of course missing a lot because there's no way to show so much in such little time.

"Over time, it got less and less weird to me that I saw you in my dreams. I didn't tell anyone, because it was kind of strange to dream something so real so many times. To remember something so clearly when most dreams are usually mostly forgotten the moment we wake up. I didn't think you were a real person back then. How could I? I'd never seen you before in my life. I just thought you were a figment of my imagination.

"And then one day I watched as you got kidnapped. I could feel that gun being pressed to your body as they forced you into the car. I woke up halfway to the house, and let me tell you how awful I felt that day. You weren't even real to me at that time and I still felt the fear for your wellbeing. The next time I "tuned" in, you were at the house and they were taking you to the basement." 

Dean paused, looking down at his hands, taking a moment to breathe. "I watched you most days in that basement. Watched them feed you the drug induced soup, watched them rape you, watched them beat you. It was absolutely awful for my mind to give me such a sweet and innocent creature like you and then put you through so much. It was horrible. 

"I came here to visit my brother, and the dreams continued. I still didn't think much of them until we went walking and I saw your shop. It was like a bucket of ice water had dumped over me. When I found out you really existed, I went to your family. I tried to tell them about the dreams, but they wouldn't listen to me. They threw me out, actually.

"But I kept searching for you. I knew where to start, and where to end, but it was the middle I couldn't figure out. God, I was so worried that they would kill you before I could get to you. That I wouldn't make it in time…" He brought his hands up to cover his face as tears silently streamed down. Castiel reached over and gently placed his hands on Dean's wrists. He couldn't pull hard because of his wrists, but Dean lowered them the moment that Castiel touched him. 

"I'm so sorry you had to go through that. But we're both here, and we're both safe. Everything is okay now," he comforted, giving Dean a small smile. Dean smiled back, and for once, he let the past go to focus on the present. 

~~

Castiel and Dean laughed almost the whole date, Castiel sharing corny jokes and Dean sharing cheesy pick up lines to make one another laugh. Dean paid for the meal against Castiel's protests, to which Castiel insisted on buying ice cream. Dean loved ice cream, so he was in for the plan. 

He helped Castiel back out to the car even though the ice cream parlor was only about a block down. He didn't want Castiel walking more than he had to. Castiel didn't complain, and Dean didn't mention it to him. They got into the shop with no problems. 

Inside, Castiel ordered a plain vanilla and Dean complained to him that he couldn't possibly pick vanilla out of all the flavors they had. Castiel laughed and changed his order to the mint ice cream, and Dean chose the peanut butter. Their dessert was full of more laughter as they shared silly memories that they could think of, and Dean was pretty sure that most of their ice cream ended up melted on their fingers. 

Dean couldn't remember a time where he'd been more happy, on a date nonetheless. He'd also never seen Castiel's eyes so squinty with happiness and smile so wide. He'd never heard so much of the addicting laughter that tumbled out of Castiel's mouth and melted Dean's inside to a puddle of mush. Dean couldn't help it, he was in love.

~~

Dean didn't want to ever take Castiel home, but after the ice cream, he knew he had to. The drive back to the Novak home was full of stolen looks at one another, and hidden smiles when they both looked at each other at the same time. 

All too soon they arrived at their destination, and Dean walked Castiel up to the door. Just like in every cheesy eighties movie ever, they stood on the doorstep looking at each other like lovesick teenagers. Dean had never been one for chick flick moments, but being with Castiel did strange things to his heart and his mind. He had trouble remembering those kinds of things at times like these. 

"Thank you for the date, Dean, I had an amazing time," Castiel said, his voice soft, but a smile on his face. Dean smiled back. 

"You're very welcome, Cas. Thanks for letting me take you out." 

"I would, uh, like to do this again if that's okay with you?" 

Dean laughed softly, nodding his head. "Yeah, that would be very much okay with me." They stood there smiling at one another before Dean spoke again, his voice very soft and quiet. "Would it be alright if I maybe, uh, kissed you?" Castiel smiled. 

"That would be very much okay with me," He repeated Dean's words with a giggle. Dean chuckled and wrapped his arms around Castiel, gently stepping closer so there was very little space between them. Dean's hand rested on Castiel's cheek, and their eyes met for a moment. Dean carefully tilted Castiel's head back, his lips hovering just slightly over Castiel's. 

The blue eyes that he loved so much slipped shut as Castiel waited for Dean to kiss him. Dean had imagined for so long how it would feel to kiss Castiel, how soft his lips would be, and what he tasted like. His stomach was doing flip flops with anticipation. 

The front door opened just a moment before Dean could lean down and press his lips to Castiel's plump, pink ones, and both of them looked up to see Michael standing in the doorway with his arms crossed. Castiel blushed and slowly untangled himself from Dean's grip, stepping back. "Michael…" He murmured, unable to look at his older brother after being almost caught kissing. 

"It's time for you to go," Michael informed Dean, gently grabbing Castiel by the arm and pulling him closer to the house and away from Dean. 

"Goodbye, Cas," Dean whispered, giving Castiel a small wave before he backed up. Castiel waved back with a small smile before the door closed and Dean was left alone on the doorstep. 

~~

Dean was practically glowing when he got home. Jess had left, but Sam was reading from a textbook when Dean arrived. He smiled when he saw his older brother walk in with a smile. "Well? How'd it go?" Sam questioned, closing his textbook for now. 

Dean sat down on the couch next to the other man and began to tell Sam all about the date. How they'd chatted and how they'd laughed together almost constantly. He told Sam most of the details of his evening, leaving out small details that didn't seem important. 

"Did you kiss him?" Sam asked excitedly when Dean told him he'd walked him up to the door. Dean was glad that Sam didn't tease him about how romantic it was. 

"Almost, but Michael interrupted before I had the chance." 

Sam groaned. "Jess is going to be so disappointed." They both had a laugh at that.

~~

Dean doesn't see Castiel for several days after that, but they chat on the phone almost every day. Sometimes more than once a day. Castiel feels bad for not being able to get together with Dean again because Michael is almost constantly there to help Castiel get back to his health again, but Dean doesn't really mind. He wants to see Castiel again, of course, but he's okay with waiting and just talking. He doesn't want to get Castiel in trouble with the eldest Novak. 

Dean's staying out in California much longer than he had planned to, but he doesn't mind very much. Life back in his own home has almost completely fallen out of his mind. As much as he misses Bobby, he's really happy living with Sam and seeing Jess and talking to Castiel. He'd never thought that coming here would make him so happy. 

And Dean doesn't realize how happy he is until Bobby calls him one day after a very brief chat with Castiel before he was interrupted yet again by Michael. Bobby needs Dean to come home for a while to work with him. They're getting backed up on jobs and none of the help that Bobby hired were available. Dean doesn't want to go home, he wants to stay here, but he agrees nonetheless. 

Dean tells Sam that he has to go, and his brother is saddened, but he understands. He doesn't ask about Castiel and what they're going to do because he knows that Dean is upset about having to leave the blue eyed man here while he leaves, even if they don't really see each other as it is. 

Dean calls Castiel when he packs up, and Castiel becomes saddened by the news. He doesn't want Dean to leave and go so far away, but Dean assures him that he'll be back as soon as he can. He hangs up short after before either of them have a chance to start crying. Dean leaves that night. 

~~

Dean is covered in grease twenty four hours later, under the hood of the car. Bobby is off to the side on another car, and there's at least four more in the waiting. Dean can see why Bobby needed him, but at the same time, he wishes he didn't have to. His mind is on Castiel, and how when he gets back, he's going to take Castiel on another date whether Michael likes it or not. He's in love with Castiel, and he will not let the man stand in his way of happiness, not when he'd just got it. 

Dean's so busy that day that he misses Castiel's call. He doesn't have time to talk to him that day, or the day after that. He goes three days without hearing Castiel's voice, and he hates it. He feels bad, and only has time to send a 'good morning, beautiful' and 'goodnight, angel'. He hopes that Castiel will understand the predicament. 

On the fourth day, Dean finally catches a break and he calls Castiel straight away. Castiel picks up fairly quickly with a smile in his voice. "Hello, Dean." 

Dean can't help but smile, leaning against the hood of an old car. "Hey, Cas. I'm so sorry that I haven't been able to accept your calls or barely even talk to you, and I-" 

"Dean," Castiel interrupted, the smile still in his voice, "it's alright. I understand, you've been very busy with your work. I don't mind, it's not your fault that you have so much to do. I'm just really happy you still make time to send me texts every morning and night. That's very sweet of you." 

"Did they make you smile?" 

"Yes, of course they did." 

"Good, that was the objective," Dean chuckled, watching Bobby working on one of the cars they had to finish before the end of the week. Not that Dean was planning on staying here for that long. He was eager to get back to Sam and Castiel. 

Castiel let out a sigh, his voice almost longing. "Is it bad if I miss you? We didn't hardly even see each other and already I can't wait for you to get back." 

"Nah, because I feel the same way about you. I can't wait to get back to California and take you on another date. Maybe to the movies, or a picnic." 

Dean could almost feel Castiel blushing on the other side, and it only made him smile wider. "I would like that a lot. Oh! I'm back home now. My wrists are getting a little better-enough for me to function again on my own. It feels so nice to be home again and not have Michael constantly hovering around me, asking if I need anything." 

Dean laughed. "I'm glad you're home, too. You always did look pretty when you're out working in your garden, or baking in the kitchen. You're just so pretty whenever you do anything. It's not fair." 

"Not fair? You're the one who looks like a model!" 

They playfully bickered for several minutes on who looked better before Dean offered a truce, to which Castiel accepted. They sat in a comfortable silence as Dean watched Bobby work. He was suddenly struck with the thought that he'd probably move out to California soon to be with Castiel, and he'd leave Bobby here. Alone. Bobby didn't have anyone here except Dean, and Dean didn't want to think about how lonely he'd be once Dean was gone. 

"Dean?" Castiel's voice snapped him back to the conversation at hand. "When are you coming back?" 

"I'm not sure, Cas," Dean sighed and ran a hand over his face. "I want to finish up all the cars that we have to help out Bobby and then I'm going to try and get there. Sam's already agreed that I can stay with him again, so I don't have to stay in some motel." 

"You are always welcome to stay with me, too, Dean," Castiel offered without a moment of hesitation. "I've got plenty of room, perhaps more room than I know what to do with." Dean laughed softly. 

"Thanks, Cas. That's really nice of you." Dean couldn't help but let himself hope that someday he'd move into the house with Castiel and they'd live there together.

~~

"Bobby?" Dean asked softly, knocking on Bobby's door. He'd been staying with Bobby in his house ever since he'd arrived. The man opened the door, still in pajamas and rubbing sleep out of his eyes. "Hey, sorry to wake you." 

"You leaving?" Bobby asked gruffly. Dean nodded slowly, hoping that Bobby would be alright here without him. 

"Yeah, I am." Bobby held out his arms and Dean hugged him gently, hoping that this wouldn't be one of the last times he saw  
him. "Just call me if you need me and I'll come back, okay?" 

"Don't worry, boy, I know what I'm doing." Still, Bobby offered Dean a smile as he patted Dean's shoulder. "You get back over  
there to your dream boy, okay?" 

Dean blushed a bit but nodded. "Yeah, I will." And then he smiled. 

~~

Dean barely stays ten minutes at Sam's house when he gets back, tossing his stuff in his room and making conversation with Sam for a few minutes before he's back out the door. He knows where Castiel lives, and it doesn't take him long at all to get there. He's knocking on the door before Dean can really process that he's here at Castiel's house, about to see the man that he thinks about almost constantly. 

Castiel is more beautiful than the last time Dean had seen him. His skin wasn't as pale, and he had gain a bit of needed weight. The bags under his eyes had gone away as well as most of the bandages covering cuts. The moment that the door opened, Dean was pulling the other man into his arms and hugging him tight. 

Castiel seemed a bit surprised at the sudden hug, but he was hugging back only a moment later, a smile buried in Dean's neck. Dean kissed the top of his head gently, inhaling a scent of Castiel's strawberry shampoo. It felt so familiar to Dean, that he couldn't help but feel like this was where he belonged. Here with Castiel in his pretty little home in California, near his brother's house. 

"Hey," Dean spoke with a laugh as he pulled back from Castiel. The blue eyed man was smiling widely and he looked so happy that Dean couldn't help but pull him in for another, briefer, hug. 

"Hi," Castiel whispered when they parted for a second time. "Come in?" He stepped back and Dean came into the house that always seemed to smell of vanilla and cherries. "I'm glad you made it back safely, though if I had known you were coming over today, I would've made you some pie or cookies." 

Dean groaned at the thought of pie. "Mm, pie." Castiel giggled softly at Dean and it made Dean's heart melt. 

"I'll make you pie another time, I promise," he assured as he led Dean to the couch, sitting down on it. Everything inside the house was warm and bright, and Dean felt so at home here with Castiel sitting next to him. He couldn't believe that he actually had Castiel, that Castiel was his to love and cherish forever. 

"Thanks, Cas." 

Dean gently reached out to take each of Castiel's wrists, which still had casts on them. Dean pressed a gentle kiss to each one as Castiel blushed. "The doctor said they're doing really well. The slowest part is the skin, which had torn apart when I was…" Castiel didn't finish, and Dean didn't think he needed to. He gently set Castiel's hands back down on his lap. 

"I'm glad you're doing better. Now that I'm here and can come visit you whenever without worrying about Michael, I'll take very good care of you," Dean promised, watching as Castiel smiled wider and scooted closer to him. 

"I think I would like that," Castiel whispered, his smile soft and sincere. Dean couldn't resist his urge to kiss Castiel and leaned over, one hand gently holding Castiel's chin, tilting his head up just slightly. 

"Can I kiss you for real this time?" He asked, his breath fanning over Castiel's own lips, which were still quirked up in a smile. 

"Yes, of course." 

Dean smiled and moved his hand to cup Castiel's cheek, the other one cradling the back of the other man's neck as he  
pressed just slightly closer so their lips met. Dean's eyes slid closed and he felt Castiel's hands rest on his shoulders. The kiss was slow and sweet, just as perfect as Dean had hoped it would be, the texture of Castiel's lips softer than he could have ever imagined it. He tasted like sugar and happiness, whatever that would actually taste like. 

Dean was very careful with Castiel, careful not to use tongue or teeth in their first kiss. It was pleasant, and too short of a time before he pulled back to take in air and look at Castiel. The blue eyes that he saw every time he closed his eyes stared back at him, causing him to smile. "You're beautiful," Dean breathed, the pad of his thumb stroking over Castiel's cheek gently. 

Castiel went pink, but his mouth was in a smile. "You taste like grease," Castiel murmured, drawing a laugh from Dean. 

"Sorry, I had a burger on the way out here." 

Castiel nudged his nose against Dean's, not saying anything else as he pressed his lips back to Dean's. Dean hummed softly as he gently shifted closer, the hand on Castiel's neck stroking down his back and then back up. Castiel shivered at the pleasant feeling, leaning into the touch slightly. Dean smiled into the kiss and caressed Castiel's jaw with his thumb that had been stroking circles. The second kiss was just as amazing as the first one, and Dean wanted to stay in this moment forever and just kiss Castiel until they could kiss no more. 

This time, Castiel was the first to pull away, but not going far. He shifted so that he could straddle Dean's lap, arms looped around Dean's neck as Dean's hands rested on the other man's hips. "This alright?" Castiel murmured, fingers slinking into Dean's hair and playing gently with it. Dean repressed a shiver at the touch and nodded. 

"This is perfect," he whispered back before slotting their lips together again, pulling Castiel as close as he could get him and wrapping his arms around the other man's back. Their kiss stayed slow and gentle, as with the next one and the one after that. It didn't take Dean long to forget how many kisses they shared together on the couch, but he didn't mind. 

When they pulled back once more to catch their breath, Castiel ran his fingers through Dean's hair. "I've been an awful host to my guest. Haven't even showed you around," he breathed, leaning forward to kiss the corner of Dean's mouth, to which Dean tried to tilt his head slightly and brush his lips against the other's. Castiel only smiled and pulled back just slight enough so they didn't. 

"We've been too busy entertaining ourselves," Dean defended, thumbs rubbing circles into Castiel's hips. "Besides, I wanna take you out today. I just had to see you first and tell you to get ready." 

"Where are we going?" 

"It's a secret, but wear something nice for the weather," Dean said, one finger stroking over Castiel's cheek. The skin under his finger turned pink and he smiled. "It will only take me a little bit to set it all up and then I'll swing by and pick you up, okay?" 

Castiel nodded, leaning forward for a brief kiss. "Okay. I'll be waiting for you." He slowly stood up and then held out a hand  
for the green eyed man to help himself off the couch. Dean took it graciously and got up, giving Castiel a gentle hug before they said their farewells. Dean couldn't stop smiling all the way to the store. 

~~

"Okay, don't look, alright? Here, hold my hand and I'll lead you there," Dean murmured as he gently took Castiel's hands. Castiel was wearing a blindfold over his eyes and had been ever since Dean had arrived to pick him up. 

"Promise you won't lead me into anything?" 

"I promise, angel," Dean reassured, gently steering Castiel towards where Sam was lying down on the picnic blanket that Dean had set out. The basket was sitting next to him, unopened with all the food Dean had prepared inside. The moment that Sam saw Dean, he got up and they both nodded before Sam left, his job of guarding their things complete. "Careful now, we're going uphill." 

"Are we there yet?" Castiel whined, though he still had a smile on his face, clearly enjoying every moment of this. Dean laughed and kept leading Castiel up, avoiding any areas that looked unsafe and posed threat to Castiel's ankles. 

It didn't take long for Dean's feet to stop stepping on grass and on blanket instead. "Alright, angel, we're here." Dean lets go of Castiel's hands to slowly remove the blindfold. Castiel blinks in the bright sunlight as a smile spreads across his face, looking down at the picnic Dean has set up near a lake. 

"Dean, this is beautiful," he breathes, his teeth poking into his smile. Castiel is just so beautiful that Dean has to lean forward and kiss him softly, hands on Castiel's cheeks. Castiel's hands lightly tangled in Dean's hair, kissing back with those soft and full lips that Dean absolutely adored. Dean pulled back only a moment later, watching as the other man's eyes opened slowly, that smile crossing his face that made Dean's insides melt and his knees go weak just from that one smile. 

"C'mon, let's eat and then take a walk," Dean told his date, holding out a hand. Castiel immediately took it and Dean led him to the basket, where he helped Castiel sit and then start pulling out the food he'd prepared. There were two sandwiches, one for him and one for Castiel, several small containers of various fruits, and a bag of chips as well as two bottles of juice because he knew that Castiel preferred that to pop. 

They both dug into their food, sharing smiles between bites and stealing glances at one another when the other wasn't looking. They all made Dean smile, but what got Dean's heart pounding was when they both reached for the apple juice at the same time and their hands met, a blush spreading across Castiel's cheeks. 

"You can have-" 

"Sorry, I-" 

"I can take the-" 

"Please, I insist that-" 

They both started laughing, their hands entwined with one another beside the bottle of apple juice. 

~~

"Have you ever been in a serious relationship?" Castiel asked, walking hand in hand with Dean, the two of them walking around the edge of the lake. 

"The most serious I've ever been with someone before was with a chick back in high school when I took up her offer for a  
second one night stand," Dean laughed, squeezing Castiel's hand. "Since high school, I haven't gotten with anyone for sex or a relationship. I realized that I wanted a real relationship, but no one seemed to interest me until I started dreaming about this amazingly sweet blue eyed boy." 

Castiel blushed and smiled sweetly. "I am glad for that, then. You've saved my life and given me a love I thought I'd never get in my life. A fairytale kind of love. I sort of gave up on love after my last boyfriend." Dean knew about it already, but he let Castiel continue. "He didn't really love me. He was more interested in sex than love, but I wasn't into that kind of thing back then, so he dumped me and I never really looked for anyone else." 

Dean leaned over and kissed his cheek. "Well I'm glad I get to treat you the way you deserve to be treated. It gives me great pleasure that you've given me the chance to love you and protect you forever. I'll never take that for granted." 

"That's very sweet of you," Castiel murmured, his cheeks still pink from Dean's kiss. 

"I want to give you the best." 

Dean lifted Castiel's hand to his lips and pressed a soft kiss to the back of it, mindful of where his cast was still in place. He was healing really well, but Dean was still extra careful not to accidentally hurt Castiel and slow down the healing progress. Castiel gave Dean a soft smile that had his stomach tying itself in knots, and he couldn't help but bring Castiel in closer against his chest. 

Their lips met in a soft kiss, Dean's hands on Castiel's face, and Castiel's hands gripped lightly to the front of Dean's shirt. Dean couldn't get enough of the blue eyed man's kisses, kissing back like his life depended on it. Castiel was so warm and little in his arms, and Dean never wanted to let go of him. He was afraid of what could happen if Castiel left the safe sanctuary of his arms. 

When the kiss was broken, Dean stroked Castiel's face gently with his thumb, just watched those beautiful blue eyes while he did so. Castiel was so calm and peaceful, so innocent and kind, that it made Dean's heart ache. He made a mental vow that he'd do whatever he could to protect the angelic creature he had there with him, even if something were to go wrong and they broke up, not that Dean thought something like that would ever happen. Castiel seemed to be happy with him, and for the first time in a long time, Dean was truly happy. 

~~

Sam and Jess got out of school several months later, and the two of them took a trip down to Mexico while they were on break. Dean wasn't quite sure why they chose Mexico, but he helped his brother pack and even drove the two to the airport when they were ready. They'd be gone for three weeks, and would have no way of contacting Dean during that time. Dean would miss both of them, but he was happy that Sam was happy. 

Castiel had suggested that the two of them go on a trip of their own. Dean could just imagine taking Castiel to Paris, seeing him have fun interacting with the locals and shopping. He wondered if he should take Castiel to Australia, where they could hang out on beaches all day. Dean was dying to see what Castiel looked like under his clothes when he wasn't chained to the wall or being raped. 

However, before Dean could share his ideas, Castiel told Dean that he wanted to go on a road trip around their own country. Dean was surprised, but the idea of being in a car on the road with the man he loved more than anything was too overwhelming for him to resist. He had agreed before he even gave much thought to it. 

They spent a lot of time at Castiel's house because it had a better feel to Dean, making lists of everything that they'd need to bring. Castiel was in charge of the food, and Dean wasn't sure how fond he was of all the healthy food going onto the list. Dean insisted that they'd take his car and that he got to pick the music since he was the driver. Castiel didn't seem to mind, though. 

Together they brought out a map and marked all the places that they wanted to go. Castiel marked down New York City, not because he was fond of big cities, but he insisted that everyone had to visit at least once. Dean marked Arizona for the Grand Canyon, to which Castiel found it cute that Dean wanted to go see a big hole in the ground. 

Several more places were marked on the map, and before long, they had their route planned and organized on the map. Dean marked several spots on the road where they could stop. Some places they'd stay in a hotel, some out camping, and to Dean's surprise, Castiel told him that he wanted to sleep in the backseat of Dean's car some nights. 

Next, they gather up all the things they have on their list between Castiel's house and Sam's. Dean knows that Sam doesn't have a lot, but he won't mind if they borrow it. They add a few more things to their lists as they gather their materials, and Dean begins to wonder if it is all going to fit inside his car. While the trunk has a lot of room, they're both bringing a lot of items with them. They pack and repack what they have until they've condensed their stuff greatly. 

Together they shop for what they don't have. Castiel goes for the food and Dean goes for everything else that they don't have. In the store, Dean runs into Michael. Michael's a little surprised to see that Dean's cart is full of a variety of stuff. "You going on a trip or something?" Michael asks, motioning to the cart. 

"Cas and I are going on a road trip," Dean informs, shifting on his feet and gripping the handle of the cart tighter in his hands. Michael clenches his jaw. 

"He is? With you? I thought he'd dump you a few days after you ran off to your home," the other man sneers. Dean tries not to show any reaction to his words, just wanting to get his stuff, go home to pack, and get on the road tomorrow. He knows Castiel is eager to go, too. 

"Well he didn't. I hate to cut this short, but I have to go," Dean rushes out quickly as he tries to pass Castiel's brother. Michael stops him before he can. 

Michael looks over his for a moment before letting go of Dean. "He could do so much better than you." And then he's walking away, leaving Dean with a shocked look on his face. 

~~

Dean doesn't mention his encounter with Michael to Castiel, and instead shows him what he found. Castiel is especially thrilled when Dean managed to find paper towels that had bees as the pattern. Dean thinks that the endless searching through the tons of paper towels they had was worth it to see Castiel's smile that makes the corners of his eyes scrunch up. 

He's just so happy and thrilled that Dean can't resist his urge to lean over a give Castiel a quick peck on the lips, then leads him to the cash registers so that they can buy their items. Dean is eager to get their things packed up and to get on the road. He's so excited to spend so much time with the man he loves, uninterrupted by anyone else. Dean's already talked with Bobby about the whole trip, and Bobby informs him that he shouldn't need him during the time he will be gone. 

They split the cost of their items and then take them all home. Once done, they spend another hour packing and unpacking, then packing it all back up again several times before they finally think they're ready to load it all into the car. 

Surprisingly, everything seems to fit into the car, with a little bit of space extra for everything that Dean's sure they'll pick up on the way. Luckily, very little space is taken up by their things in the seats of Dean's car. Everything that couldn't fit in the trunk was pushed between the two rows of seats where the feet of the occupants in the back were to go, had someone actually been riding back there. 

Dean takes Castiel's hand when they're done, squeezing his hand gently. Castiel's wrists have healed most of the way and the casts are no longer there. The skin, however, is still sensitive and puffy, not quite fixed. Castiel keeps tearing the wound open on accident, and Dean's heard his screams of anguish enough to know that it's causing Castiel a lot of pain. So Dean wrapped them in bandages that help from breaking it again, but still allows it to heal. 

Castiel looks up at Dean with a smile, leaning up so that they share a sweet kiss. Dean's the first to pull away, but only enough to murmur. "We should go get some rest. We're heading out really early tomorrow." 

Castiel doesn't say anything, and Dean doesn't either, but they don't need to to know that they're both super excited to take this next step to their relationship. Dean lifts Castiel's hand and kisses the back of it, almost like a silent vow to always love him forever and protect him. Castiel still doesn't say anything, but the smile he gives Dean is enough for him to know that Castiel doesn't plan on leaving his side anytime soon.

**Author's Note:**

> Been thinking about adding a part three to make this complete. If there is a part three, it might just mainly be of the road trip, since I opted to take that out of this one so it didn't turn into a novel.


End file.
